Best “Secret” Views of Seattle on Queen Anne Hill

Queen Anne Hill offers some of the best views of Seattle. The most popular viewpoint is Kerry Park, and for good reason. It showcases the Space Needle, the Seattle skyline, Mt. Rainier, and the Puget Sound. It’s the best of the Emerald City all rolled into one spot. But, the best views of Seattle on Queen Anne don’t end there.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve randomly spent a few days wandering around Queen Anne Hill. I wasn’t necessarily looking for the best views of Seattle, instead I just happened to find them. They aren’t designated viewpoints or city parks, they’re just cool public places you can admire the Emerald City. Here are two spots I recently found that offer great “secret” views of Seattle:

The view of Seattle from W. Kinnear Pl.

W. Kinnear Pl.: This street is located right down the hill from Marshall Park (another viewpoint on Queen Anne that showcases the Puget Sound), and it’s less than a five minute walk from Kerry Park. The best view of Seattle I found on this street was from a small stairway leading up to 606 W. Kinnear Pl. I’m not sure if the stairway is public property or not (you’ll understand what I mean when you get there), but I treated it like it was public. If it’s not, there are still killer views of Seattle all over W. Kinnear Pl. You can simply stroll down the street staring at the Space Needle, the skyline and Mt. Rainier.

The view of Seattle from Ward St. & Warren Ave. N.

Ward St. and Warren Ave. N.: This view of Seattle is on the east side of Queen Anne Hill, but it’s still only about a ten minute walk from Kerry Park and about a 15 minute walk from W. Kinnear Pl. Ward Street splits into two one-way lanes in this area (one street goes higher than the other on the hill), so the viewpoint is actually on top of a stairway that links the two streets together. There’s a beautiful view of the Space Needle and Seattle skyline, and Mt. Rainier hangs out in the background on a clear day. Just like W. Kinnear Pl., you can get neat views all along Ward St., but one of the best views of Seattle is on top of the stairway at the intersection of Warren Ave. N.

I’m sure other people know about these “secret” views of Seattle from Queen Anne, but there was no one else at either location when I was there. Both viewpoints are located in neighborhoods, but it’s still a fairly peaceful setting to enjoy the Emerald City. The same can’t always be said for the much busier Kerry Park. With that being said, Kerry Park is still the best of the best when it comes to views of Seattle on Queen Anne Hill. Don’t be afraid to stray away from there and check out these other “secret” viewpoints. Trust me — they’re definitely worth the effort. As far as I’m concerned, the views of Seattle never get old.

Have you seen the views of Seattle from one or both of these “secret” locations? What did you think of the view? Do you know of any other cool viewpoints on Queen Anne? We’d love to hear from you. The more we share on here, the more everyone gets to enjoy this incredible city. Please leave a comment below or connect with us on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook. Don’t forget to also check out Seattle Bloggers for more awesome attractions in the Emerald City!

2 Comments

Andrew
June 22, 2016

Kerry Park probably is the best, but in the spring & summer months, the leaves get in the way of the view. No such issue with Kinnear Place. Just a full on look at the skyline. Hope to get down to Seattle in the fall for some night shots.